St. Olaf Around You

My Podcast Script

Narrator 1: [Light classical music] Hello! And welcome to St. Olaf. At this moment, you probably are sitting in the admissions office and may be wondering why mom dragged you here in the first place. You may be wondering if this whole confusing college thing will ever make sense to you.[fade to silence] On the other hand, St. Olaf may have been an aspiration, a place where you have aimed to attend for your entire life.

Narrator 2: No matter why you are here, know this one thing; St. Olaf has a physical and mental landscape that students here identify with. Here at St. Olaf, students develop a keen sense of place through St. Olaf’s emphasis on community values and academics.

Narrator 1: We asked Grant Knoploh, a junior here at St. Olaf, “How has living at St. Olaf enhanced your sense of community?” He responded by saying, “I like that St. Olaf Is a place where the students all work to their greatest potential. Through that work they create a solid community that I love being a part of.” Here at St. Olaf, there are many characteristics within the physical landscape that provide strong community values. [chattering of students] For one, St. Olaf has an architecture that is designed for interaction and sharing ideas. From the snaking couches on the fourth floor of Regents Hall to the fireside lounge in Buntrock Commons, where it is often difficult to work because of a constant desire to converse with others, St. Olaf is built with the idea in mind that the community is one of the most important aspects of student life. [Birds chirping and footsteps of students] Look outside. Around you are walkways, all leading towards centers to turn students to different areas of the campus. These pathways are crucial to St. Olaf’s sense of place, as they all pass and turn with the landscape of the college instead of cutting through and bypassing the beauty around them. [No sound]

Narrator 2: [Clinking and sounds of conversation] St. Olaf also keeps community in mind with their food. Stav Hall, our cafeteria, is built in a way that really discourages eating alone. The tables are long where students sit across from each other and large circle tables are scattered about. Although there is nothing wrong with getting a bite to eat if you are in a hurry, the excellent Bon Appetite food and a good conversation is required for a delightful eating experience. Smell around you. If you are lucky, you should be able to get a whiff of cookies, or Cocoa Puffs. This smell is a characteristic of St. Olaf, a characteristic that the community can identify and share a common bond with. Community at St. Olaf is very important and with a strong community, students and the whole student body can grow together.[no sound]

Narrator 1: [Very quiet writing sound] When asked the question, “How have St. Olaf’s academic programs played a part in your development as a St. Olaf student?” Senior Robert Croissant answered, “The liberal arts attitude of St. Olaf has given me the passion for integrating several of my interest into class projects. This integration has allowed me to enter the entrepreneurial world with multiple perspectives and an eye for innovation.” St. Olaf offers many opportunities for students to develop their sense of place through world- class facilities and excellent programs. [Fade to silence] The very new Regents Hall offers state-of-the-art science labs and a science library for research. Quiet space is abundant at St. Olaf, where 2 floors of the library are super-quiet sections and common courtesy rings true for all that are studying. From where you are, look at all the windows that are placed strategically around campus. They are numerous. Some of the best places to study are in these rooms with many windows, where you can still feel the landscape while learning about the subject at hand.

Narrator 2: At St. Olaf, there is a special atmosphere where learning is appreciated and desired by all students. This is really evident in student conversation, where it is common to find students walking outside in the cool fall air discussing global politics or theology. Here, students tend to create a developed identity that emphasizes learning and exploration of self.

Narrator 1: As you go on and explore the rest of the campus, make sure and look at the beauty all around you. In the winter, fall or spring, St. Olaf has an identity that cannot be matched by any other college. This identity is shown through all of the school’s students, who each have a sense of place that was created through their community and their academic life. The school creates students who all have a similar, familiar experience, which is like no other college experience in the United States.

We would like to thank Grant Knoploh, Robert Croissant and the St. Olaf webpage for their contributions to this podcast.